Ep 27. Person or Persons Unknown
- TV-PG
- March 23, 1962
- 24 min
-
7.8 (2,527)
In The Twilight Zone season 3 episode 27 titled "Person or Persons Unknown", the audience is introduced to David Gurney who wakes up one morning to find himself in a strange and unfamiliar reality. He has no recollection of who he is, and his identification documents and photographs have all vanished. To make matters worse, his friends, family, and colleagues deny ever knowing him, and the police accuse him of being a criminal on the run. David's reality has been turned inside out, and it's a nightmare.
The episode follows David's journey as he tries to prove his identity while battling his own sanity. As he interacts with people who were once supposedly a part of his life, everyone denies any knowledge of him. Even his own fiancée insists that she doesn't know who he is. David begins to question whether he has lost his mind, or if there is something more sinister playing out.
Throughout the episode, the audience is taken on a psychological thrill ride as David tries to prove his existence in a world where everyone he's ever known denies his existence. The police continue to pursue David as they believe he is a criminal, and his own memories become hazy and unreliable. David's frustration and confusion are palpable as he tries to connect the dots and find a way back to the reality he knows.
As the episode progresses, David's situation becomes increasingly dire. He is arrested and detained in a psychiatric hospital, where he meets others who have faced a similar fate. The audience is left questioning David's sanity, as he begins to entertain the possibility that he is simply a figment of his own imagination.
The climax of the episode takes a shocking turn, as David uncovers the truth behind his mysterious disappearance and the reality he has found himself in. The audience is left contemplating identity, perception and the fragility of the human mind.
Overall, "Person or Persons Unknown" is a haunting and thought-provoking episode that explores the concept of identity and the mind's susceptibility to external forces. The audience is kept on edge throughout the episode as they follow David's journey, and the twists and turns keep them guessing until the very end. This episode is without a doubt one of the standout episodes of The Twilight Zone's third season.